NFL Rookie Escorts Disabled Teen to Dance

Fox Sports is reporting that Chicago Bears rookie linebacker J.T. Thomas escorted a wheelchair-bound girl to her middle-school dance. The former West Virginia standout last month met 14-year-old Joslyn Levell, who has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. During that meeting, she told him that all of the boys she had asked to the dance turned her down. Levell, who attends Suncrest Middle School in Morgantown, was disappointed and cried a little because no one would escort her to the dance.

After clearing it with Levell's parents and school, Thomas picked up Levell on Friday night in a rented black Chrysler and brought her roses and a corsage. When they arrived, Thomas danced with Levell after she introduced him to many of the same boys who had declined to be her date for the dance.

"It was so exciting," Levell added. "I'm just so excited to go to school and see what everyone has to say." Thomas' 7-year-old brother, Jared, is autistic and rides the same school bus as Levell. For years Thomas has been involved in autism awareness, and his agent, Michael Giorgio, said that his client did not attend the dance for publicity.

Well, this goes to show that good things do happen during NFL lockouts. It's pretty cool that Thomas recognized how tough it is for children with disabilities in society and in school, so he decided to do something about it. By being a standout in his community and showing up with Levell to the dance, he's demonstrating acceptance, decency, integrity and humility to the young boys that did not want to go to the dance with Levell. Thomas' heart is as big as he is, and that's a good thing. A job well done.